Blaze totals Clear Creek home

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  • Despite the best efforts of multiple fire departments from two states, fire claimed a residence at 2797 Clear Creek Road in Highlands on Nov. 17.
    Despite the best efforts of multiple fire departments from two states, fire claimed a residence at 2797 Clear Creek Road in Highlands on Nov. 17.
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Fire tore through a home on Clear Creek Road just outside of Highlands on Tuesday, Nov. 17.

According to Macon County 911 computer aided dispatch reports, a passerby on a mobile phone dialed 911 just after 9 p.m. The called reported a structure fire at 2797 Clear Creek Road.

Units from Highlands Fire Department and Macon County EMS were dispatched and arrived six minutes later to find the home fully engulfed in flames.

“When we got there it was already an advanced structure fire,” Highlands Fire Chief Ryan Gearhart said. “There were two people at the residence when the fire started but they were able to make it out without any injuries. We knocked the fire down as fast as possible, but the structure will be a total loss.”

Gearhart added that the two people who were inside the structure when the fire began were transported to stay with family members on Tuesday night and then connected with the Red Cross the following day.

According to Macon County Fire Marshal Jimmy Teem, the cause of the fire is undetermined at this point, but the origin of the fire began in the area of a first-floor wood stove.

“We don’t know if a spark got out, or something was sitting to close to the stove, or something like that, but we do know that is where the fire started,” Teem said. “We were able to determine the point of origin.”

Along with Highlands Fire and Rescue and Macon County EMS, units from Scaly Mountain/Sky Valley Fire Department, Macon County Squad 4 and Rabun County, Georgia, provided mutual aid at the scene.